| Show LEADER OUTLINES S LEGION commander macnider asserts veterans are busy combating evils and helping in construction points to radicalism as menace to national safety busy with aid to all americans BY MACNIDER national commander editors note hanford alar macnider nider is known to all americans as the active head bead of the american legion his war record Is a fine one and to that he is steadily adding a record for clean leadership of a powerful organ Iza tion the american legion must be counted in on every national activity or movement the men of the legion believe in and trust commander macnider Alac NIder As an american you can do the same in reading the following the guiding motive ot of the american legion is to keep alive at least some part of 0 the wonderful spirit of service that animated everyone in 1917 and 1918 it if even a flicker ot of that spirit can be preserved and turned to good account legion men fea w at their organization will not 0 jl ha v tested asted in vain the th reapplication eap ol of such a spirit ot of service ce to 0 national problems may be known as americanism the legion has already succeeded in passing or is working to pass in every state school laws covering the teaching ot of the amerlean american constitution it Is working to build up in the coming generation vivid realization ot of what Ame american citizenship Is what american institutions are and how and why they should be respected many states already are carrying out in the schools complete programs written by the legion which will inspire a new kind ot of citizenship in the years that are not far away the legion is working actively to combat radicalism it has taken an active and very influential stand against class and sect selfishness and intolerance in every form the legion is working toward the passage ot of sound bound immigration laws and tor for adequate military and naval defense tor for the country work Is practical the legions work is very practical and not and it is local in thousands ot of american communities and not merely national almost everyone ot of the legion posts can show concrete examples ot of good work done tor for the community out in kansas a post adopts a boy scout troop in wisconsin the legion stands elands sponsor for the education and citizenship ot of an alien who had worn the american uniform in missouri a post plants trees on a highway in new york the legion raises to buy a BantU arlum for or the tubercular ex service men the examples are myriad 1 then there is the veterans federation that was practically sponsored by the legion it is a dream but it Is near to coming true and its possibilities are far ar reaching the federation embraces representatives 0 of er service mens eions in all the allied countries it alms at such an interchange ot of ideas and such a preservation of the spirit ot of comradeship of the war that conflict or even ill will between late al sabe p A impossible impossible I 1 I 1 ration has made great str rr TER eft X zat lon it has ex ore will be accod polished 41 aa SIN convention convent lon of 0 dele gates rooe allied countries in new orleans in october just prior to the legion national convention the legion has always been first in the tight fight to obtain justice for the isableo alsa isa bled of 0 the late war surely it is a genuine community service for or the legion to lead the way in demand ing proper care for or those comrades of 0 ours who came back blind malqued and broken in health and bod body yand and who must live the war forever in the homes and hospitals ot of our country gave their best these men gave their best that all of us might enjoy continued safety and citizenship in this country of ours oura certain organizations and a few individuals have succeeded la in arousing some interest in behalf of the disabled veterans but the american legion backed by the press of the country has not only written pushed but actually put through congress every bit of legislation tor for the disabled man it is perfectly safe to say that had bad it not been for the legion the shame tul ful neglect and disgraceful treatment of these men would still exist the adjusted compensation legislation did not originate with the american legion but with congress legion men were nere told at their first convention that national legislators wanted to know the best way to ad just the pay ot of the service men they said they realized this should be done but had bad nearly a hundred bills before them and wanted the thought of the legion then the legion wrote the fivefold five fold foid compensation bill and turned it over without recommendations then from thousands of platforms plat all over the country the men who are now representing us down in washington promised these four million men that they were going to tul ful fill an obligation they put the entire returned service population in the state of mind where they feel that they have been promised something and now are in danger of having the promise repudiated I 1 put them to work through the efforts of the legion it now appears that this promise will not be repudiated recently the legion has been bend ing all its efforts to put every returned service man to work the legion believes this man should have a chance to earn an honest living and lead a useful life in the nation he be ot of his life to save it is the nations business that this be done the legion has been wonderfully successful in this effort and feels that it has accomplished something that rebounds to the credit of the whole nation the american legion knows no class sect creed or division except between the loyal and disloyal and the constructive and destructive citizens its members feel sure that no I 1 greater field tor for service to the country exists than through such a medium |
